Wonderful character development!

Must See Movie...

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Kenneth Loach is known for his social conviction and sense of responsibility for the community and ever since his debut "Poor Cow" (1967) he hasn't let the viewer down. In his 13th feature film "My Name Is Joe" (1998) Loach offers not only a realistic look at the problems of contemporary society but also in a compassionate, heart-warming tone, still leaving the viewer with a rather gloomy mood. Such emotional contrast was probably due to the fact that the reign of Margaret Thatcher had been over for 8 years and the workers' party had experienced a new rise. Hence the film manages to be both a dreary yet essential look at the past -- as if to show what really happened during Thatcher's unpleasant years of conservatism -- and a comment on how the new movement hasn't attained any concrete changes in the desolate condition.The title protagonist of the film is Joe, an unemployed alcoholic, who begins a mundane romance with a social service woman. However, "My Name Is Joe" isn't a love story nor a wholesome portrayal of a character's life. It's precisely a fragment from the everyday life of an ordinary person. It tries not to highlight (though Loach falls to banality every now and then) nor to embellish. The title first refers to Joe's introduction at the AA-club but later on gains a significance of him opening himself, honestly and without an act of performance, to others.In the same way as Joe, Loach is ready to show us the real conditions of the working class, without an act of embellishment. By a naturalist approach, he depicts the desolate circumstances in which alcoholism and drug addiction are immediate and inevitable reactions. They reveal a wider social phenomenon rather than the weakness of the individual.Although the film isn't a film of sheer brilliance nor the masterpiece to define British cinema, it remains as a small sympathetic piece of work which won't disappoint the viewer and therefore doesn't leave much room for excessive criticism.

Ken Loach has been making films about working class families for many years and My Name is Joe is one of his most powerful. Peter Mullan is instantly likable as Joe Kavanagh, a recovering alcoholic from Ruchill, a decaying suburb of Glasgow, who has a lot at stake. He has fallen in love with Sarah (Louis Goodall), a health worker, and wants to go straight but circumstances conspire against him. He is determined to help his friend Liam (David McKay) when he gets behind on his payments to a drug dealer but his options are limited and he is forced to make a choice that threatens the stability of his fragile relationship.Mullan won the Best Actor award at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival and it is fully deserved. We know that Joe's problems are overwhelming but we root for him to make it in spite of the odds because of his warmth and humor and generosity towards others. Joe has been sober for a year and attends sessions of Alcoholics Anonymous. He also coaches the local soccer team composed of unemployed workers who have won only one game the entire year. When he meets Sarah, a social worker for the Health Department who is visiting Liam and his wife Sabine (Anne-Marie Kennedy) and young child, things start to look up. We do not learn much about Sarah's past but it is obvious that the two have discovered each other at a crucial point in their life.In a powerful scene, Sarah asks Joe why he stopped drinking and he tells her how he had beaten a woman he was dating and has never forgiven himself. Both are very tentative about getting involved but they are also drawn to each other and can think about the future for the first time. Sadly, the world has other plans. Sabine is a heroin addict who used the drugs she was supposed to sell and is in serious debt to a local drug dealer McGowan (David Hayman), an old friend of Joe's. When the mobster boss demands that Liam cover his wife's debt or they will break his legs, Joe tries to moderate and ends up striking a deal with the mob, leading to a series of unfortunate events. In one of the most emotionally gripping scenes, Sarah berates Joe for lying to her and he responds "Some of us don't have a choice. Some of us don't have a f***ing choice." The mean streets of Ruchill are strewn with the results of urban decay and Loach does not spare us the details. He even mocks the image of bonnie Scotland with a scene involving a kilt-clad bagpiper playing the same three songs over and over for a group of tourists. Combining gritty realism with humor, My Name is Joe has an outstanding script by Paul Laverty and fully dimensional characters that transcend clichés. Loach does not pass judgment on his characters or directly condemn society for their failings. It is a work of compassion and humanity.

A very realistic story about a 38 year old man, let 's say my age. He had problems with alcohol but is doing his best to improve his live. He has the energy of a young man and also is admired by a young social worker. The feelings of love are profound and touching. But the problems, now I 'm talking about the external problems he suffers by trying to help a young couple, are very eminent and realistic too.I recomment this movie in the strongest way, altough I have to say that I never heard so many bad language in a movie. :o)

My name is Joe is a real great film. Peter Mullan is especially good. And I think that Ken Loach is a talented director who is very sentive. He chose some excellent actors who give to the movie an real aspect, which makes people believe the story. So you must see this film, and I think that he will make you feel something strong.